REVIEW: Mary Lambert – ‘Heart On My Sleeve’

October 14th, 2014

Kriston McConnell

Artist: Mary Lambert
Album: Heart On My Sleeve
Genre: Pop
Label: Capitol Records

Mary Lambert was virtually unknown to those outside of the Seattle area until she teamed up with fellow Washingtonians Macklemore and Ryan Lewis to release “Same Love.” It’s likely because of that successful partnership she was able to leap forward in her career and get to work on her debut full-length album. For those of us who were not familiar with her music before the release of that single, it was a welcomed introduction. Now the time has finally come, and we have her debut effort in our hands.

The first single released for Heart On My Sleeve was “Secrets.” This is easily my favorite song on the album. It’s cheeky, down to earth and most importantly sincere. You do not hear many artists talking about their imperfections, and on top of that, the lyrics are catchy as hell. It’s a great way to start off an album, even though the rest of the tracks stick to a slower pace for the remainder of the record.

Another one of my favorite tracks is “Ribcage,” which features guest vocals by Angel Haze (which is another female artist I highly recommend you check out). She adds a unique sound to this song by rapping her lyrics. They’re not overwhelming nor do they overpower Lambert’s own voice. In fact, they are on the quieter side and fit in nicely with the rest of the song. Sometimes rapping parts in a non-rap song can seem abrasive and unappealing but that is certainly not the case with this song. The extra dynamic makes it that much more memorable.

You may not know this, but Lambert is also a spoken word poet. She incorporates this aspect of her creativity into the album, which is another way she makes Heart On My Sleeve unique. “Dear One” is all spoken word, and is the perfect segue to the next track. She only utilizes this style of writing a few times during the album, so it won’t grow old. Sometimes I feel spoken word parts don’t add anything to the flow of a record, in this instance they do. At least “Dear One” does at the very least.

While “Secrets” may be my favorite song on the album, a close second is the last track. “Sum Of Our Parts” has a great melody that will make you want to stand up and shamelessly sing along. A little over halfway through it slows down to include another spoken word verse, then continues on with the rest of the song. This anthemic track is a great way to wrap up the emotional ride Lambert has taken us on from the very first verse.

Lambert’s songs are sincere and full of her own life experiences. The raw emotion makes her music incredibly relatable. If you have ever been in love you will find something to relate to. Whether it’s crushing on a friend’s girlfriend, or missed a loved one while you were separated from them for a long period of time – you will find a connection with the lyrics. It’s hard to open up about personal feelings and experiences, so hearing from someone who is being real with what’s in their heart is something to be appreciated.

Even if you haven’t checked out her previous work (except for maybe “She Keeps Me Warm”), you should still give this album a listen. She has a great voice, and her unconventional pop lyrics break up the monotony of what’s being released in the mainstream media today. Even though this might not be the album that catapults her into mainstream stardom, it’s still a solid debut release and proves that pop can be more than boring and generic. I only wish that she had a couple more songs that were as quirky as “Secrets.” I do enjoy the emotional tracks, but I like to have that balanced out with upbeat melodies.

SCORE: 8/10
Review written by Kriston McConnell